Bracket for metal shelving



Aug. 20-, 1957 RE. SMOLA ETAL 2,803,352

BRACKET FOR METAL SHELVING Filed June 24, 1954 Q 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTORS Roberl' E. Smola ATTORNEY Frank Hoffmam-IZ BY 0, 1957 R. E.SMOLA ETAL 2,803,352

BRACKET FOR METAL SHELVING Filed June 24, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IllINVENTORS 4 Roberi E. Smola D Hank Hqffnzam fn ATTORNEY United StatesPateiitO BRACKET FOR METAL SHELVING Robert E. Smola, Chagrin Falls, andFrank A. Hoffman,

Jr., Willoughby, Ohio, assignors to Republic Steel Corporation,Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of New Jersey Application June 24, 1954,Serial No. 439,006

2 Claims. (Cl. 211-147) This invention relates to metal shelving, moreparticularly to a bracket for supporting adjustable steel shelving onthe usual uprights.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide metal bracket whichreadily lends itself to convenient manufacturing procedures, and whichmay be firmly and positively held at a selected location on the uprightsto support metal shelves firmly in position, by a simple manualmanipulation at the time the installation is made, or subsequently, whenit is desired to change the height of some of the shelves.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bracket with a keyholeslot having one edge of its tail portion deflected to provide a threadengaging lip for cooperation with a fastening having a screw shank.Thus, when the bracket is applied to the upright, the bracket, includingmeans for preventing twisting, may be firmly drawn toward the upright toavoid looseness and angular movement between the bracket and theupright.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bracket ofsubstantially U-shaped cross section resulting in the formation of wingswhose upper shelf engaging portions are notched or recessed to providean undercut shelf flange receiving seat, the formation being such thatthe seat itself is provided with an overhanging retaining shoulder whichenables the shelf flange to snap into position to engage the shelfsupporting seat, and, thereafter, prevents upward accidentaldisplacement of the shelf, as for example, when it is unloaded and thereis possibility that it may be accidentally struck an upward blow eitherby a load being moved, or some other similar causes.

With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appearas the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consistsin the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts,hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of a shelving upright,with the bracket also in section, as the bracket v is about to beapplied in position for use.

Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in section, showing an upright and arelated shelf, and viewing the bracket at right angles to the positionshown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, showing thebracket in final position on the upright and supporting a shelf, thelower inwardly directed flange of the shelf being shown partly in dottedlines to illustrate how the flange snaps bind the retaining shoulder ofthe bracket.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig.3.

Fig. 5 is an exploded view illustrating the manner of using the bracketsback-to-back in connection with a plurality of upright elements.

Fig. 6 is a view of the parts shown in Fig. 5 as drawn to finalposition.

The shelf S is provided with a downturned flange S and an inwardlyturned bottom flange S2, in accordance with conventional practice.

Referring to the bracket B, it will be observed that the same includes abody of substantially channel or U-shaped transverse cross section. Thisformation provides a web 1 whose lower portion is provided with astruck-out an-.

choring projection 2 which may be conveniently made in the form of adimple or blister at the time of formation. Above the anchoringprojection 2, the web 1 is provided with a keyhole slot comprising thecircular portion 3 and.

the tail portion 4. One edge of said tail portion is deflected to form athread engaging lip 5. This lip extends along the straight portion ofone side of the slot and continues as an are into the tail portion ofthe slot where it feathers off within the circular upper end of the tailportion. This lip is shown in an enlarged scale in Fig. 4.

The key slot is intended to cooperate with a fastening or stud Cprovided with a slotted head and a screw threaded shank portion 6 sothat the threads 7 of the shank 6 will engage with the lip 5, as clearlyshown in Fig. 4.

At this point it may be noted from Figs. 1, 2 and 3, that the bracket Bis initially placed adjacent the upright A so that the threaded shank 6of the stud C will enter the circular portion 3 of the keyhole slot.(Figs. 1 and 2.) The bracket B may then be moved downwardly until theanchoring projection 2 fits into the subjacent opening A in the uprightA, whereupon the stud C may be turned, and.

with the thread 7 of the stud in engagement with the lip 5, the bracketmay be made fast against the upright A, as shown in Fig. 3.

Referring further to the bracket B, it will be observed that the same isprovided with the laterally spaced side members or wings 8 whose upperend portions are provided with notches or recesses to provide ahorizontal seat 9 for supporting the flange S2 of the shelf. Moreover,the notch or recess is bounded at one side by an inwardly and downwardlyinclined wall 10 which at its junction with the top edge of the wingprovides a retaining shoulder 11. Thus, the arrangement describedprovides in effect a shoulder 11 overhanging the seat 9 so that when thebracket is assembled to the upright, the flange S2 enters the notch orrecess through a relatively constricted mouth. The flange S2 hasinherent flexibility and when it engages the retaining shoulder 11 itwill bend as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3 and then snap intothe recesses at the upper end of the wings 8. It will, of course, beunderstood that the side wall S of the shelf is in contact or engagementwith the inner sides of the upright A so that when the horizontal lowerflange S2 of the shelf clears shoulder 11 and rests on the seat 9, theflange will be retained against accidental upward displace ment. Thus,when the shelf is in position on the bracket it will be restrainedagainst undesirable upward lifting movement, unless and until it isdesired to change the elevation of the shelf, whereupon pressure on theunderside of the shelf S will enable flange S2 to snap upwardly past theshoulder 11 in making its exit.

It will now be apparent that the bracket B may be initially assembled tothe upright A, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and when moved downwardly withthe shank 6 of the stud in the key slot, the lower anchoring projection2 will engage the subjacent opening A, and steady the clip againsttwisting about the shank 6 so that when the stud Patented Aug. 20, 1957,

is rotated with a convenient tool the threads 7 of the shank engagingthe lip will firmly draw the clip into final position.

It may further be pointed out that the lower projection 2 also servesthe purpose of accurately locating the bracket on the upright andthereby assures that the several shelves will be held in parallelrelationship.

The present invention also has the advantage that it provides a shelfsupporting arrangement that will permit the brackets to be mounted inback-to-back relationship, irrespective of variations in the thicknessof metal comprising the upright.

For example, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the brackets B and B may be'usedin pairs at either side of the upright, which: in this case may comprisethe uprights A2 and A3 with an intervening side sheet D.

Referring to Fig. 5, stud C is inserted into the slot of bracket B toits fullest extent as shown in Fig. 6. Together the bracket B and stud Care inserted into the desired position in the corner supports oruprights A2 and A3 and side sheet D or any combination thereof. BracketB is then placed over stud C and positioned and tightened as previouslydescribed. Dimension X, Fig; 5, must exceed dimension Y to allow stud Cto turn freely while bracket B is being drawn to the supports A2 and A3.That is to say, dimension X provides space for the stud C to turn freelyin bracket B while pulling bracket B tight to the upright assembly.

We claim:

1. A mounting for metal shelves, having downwardly and inturned flanges,comprising, in combination, an upright member provided with a verticalseries of equally spaced openings, a bracket including a web having ananchoring projection on its outer face and provided above saidprojection with a key slot whose tail portion is deflected to form athread engaging lip to ,serve as a nut integral with the bracket, wingson each edge of the web, a stud having a screw shank for freely enteringan opening in the upright paired with the opening engaged by theprojection whereby the screw shank will engage the lip to draw thebracket toward the upright to prevent vertical and angular movement ofthe bracket, horizontal flange supporting seats adjacent the upper endsof the wings, retaining shoulders overlying portions of the flangereceiving seats, whereby, when the bracket is firmly mounted on theupright by the head of the screw engaging the upright and with itsthreads cooperating with said lip as a nut,

the distance between the shoulder and the upright will be less than thedistance between the inner end of the seat and the upright, and theinturned shelf flange will snap past the shoulder to rest on the seatand be held against accidental upward displacement.

2. A mounting for metal shelves, having downwardly and inturned flanges,comprising in combination, an upright assembly including a plurality ofmembers provided with a vertical series of equally spaced registeringopenings, brackets on opposite sides of said assembly and each includinga web having an anchoring projection on its outer face and providedabove said projection with a key slot whose tail portion is deflected toform a thread engaging lip to serve as a nut integral with the body,wings on each edge of the web, a stud common to both brackets and havinga screw shank for initially entering the circular portion of the keyhole slot paired with the opening engaged by the projection whereby asthe tail portion ofthe slot is moved onto the screw shank said shankwill engage the lip of each bracket to draw both brackets toward theupright assembly to prevent vertical and angular movement of thebracket, horizontal flange supporting seats adjacent the upper ends ofthe Wings, retaining shoulders on the wings overlying portions of theflange receiving seats, whereby, when the brackets are firmly mounted onthe upright assembly the distance between the shoulder and the uprightwill be less than the distance between the inner ends of the seats andthe upright assembly, and the inturned shelf flanges will snap past theshoulders to rest on the seats and be held against accidental upwarddisplacement.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS830,943 Wessels Sept. 11, 1906 1,080,203 Dungan Dec. 2, 1913 1,441,279Hammarlund Jan. 9, 1923 1,871,972 Fernstermaker Aug. 16, 1932 1,880,179Onions Sept. 27, 1932 1,962,396 Katz et al June 12, 1934 2,102,229Tinnerman Dec. 14, 1937 2,285,273 Hall et al June 2, 1942 2,604,213Bales et al July 22, 1952

